City Councilwoman Helen Holton (8th District) announced last night that she would not run for re-election in 2016. The Brew has the story and Holton's back story here. Holton has served on the council for 20 years, through five terms, earning a reputation as a progressive budget wonk as head of the Budget and Appropriations Committee. She advocated for stronger minority business set-asides and fought Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake's efforts to cut city employee pensions. She was also charged with receiving a bribe and campaign finance violations in 2009 as part of the scandal that led Mayor Shiela Dixon to resign in disgrace. Holton pleaded no-contest to the campaign finance charge and paid a fine. The bribery charge was dismissed. Holton's announcement was a surprise to many, but Council President Bernard C. "Jack" Young issued a release soon after, praising Holton's council tenure. "Councilwoman Holton has used her mastery of the budgeting process to fight for increased funding for programs that have helped countless families gain employment, secure affordable childcare, have access to quality educational and recreational facilities," Young's statement says. ""Her announcement today that she will not seek re-election to her Council seat, and will instead focus on her health, is completely understandable." According to The Brew, Holton said she lobbied "behind the scenes" against the Red Line light rail that would have run through her district, taking her cue from constituents who worried about falling property values. For now the 8th District race has one candidate, newcomer Kristerfer Burnett. (Edward Ericson Jr.)

It seems impossible to not be stressed out these days, and many people try to deal with it by practicing "self-care"—a vague, blanket term for whatever practices (i.e. yoga, healthy eating, etc.) can help ease a person's mental state. In an article for The Fader, Jennifer Pan discusses the amorphous definitions of self-care, which can ironically become stressful to maintain as it becomes "something that we're obligated to do to improve ourselves," or worse, something that makes us feel like its purpose is only to transform us into better workers. Ah, yes, nothin' like feeling like you're a tiny, lavender-scented cog in the system. (Rebekah Kirkman)

Just as the Ravens seemed to be in hot water for head coach John Harbaugh going off on immigration, in comes kicker Justin Tucker to deliver good press. The multi-talented kicker recently parodied those weird, existential Lincoln ads with Matthew McConaughey for local car dealer Carbiz. In the video, Tucker, also a Texan, riffs on putting on his pants one leg at a time and makes it sound like he's saying the most profound thing ever, just as the Oscar-winning McConaughey does in his SUV sales pitch. Tucker's spoof rivals the one Jim Carrey infamously did for Saturday Night Live. Given how much McConaughey loves University of Texas football, where Tucker played, we have a feeling the actor will take the whole thing in stride. (Brandon Weigel)